Feline Vessel with Stirrup Spout

Felines have been a prominent and recurring feature of ancient Andean art for millennia. Examples like this blackware vessel have been identified as representing pumas—the largest predator in this mountainous habitat. These fierce hunters became symbols of power within many societies. As numerous works in this gallery show, makers often portrayed authoritative human figures and divine beings with feline attributes like fangs, claws, and whiskers.